AP House adjourned as Telangana stalemate continues on day 5

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly was caught in a deadlock for the fifth consecutive day today over the issue of state bifurcation.

Barely three minutes after the day's proceedings began at 9 AM, Speaker Nadendla Manohar was forced to adjourn the House for an hour as legislators from Seemandhra region as well as Telangana trooped into the well raising slogans for a united and separate state respectively.

The Speaker repeatedly appealed to the members to return to their seats and let the debate on the draft Andra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill-2013 be taken up.

"I have time and again been telling you to make use of the opportunity and take part in the debate. You can express your opinions and anguish in the debate," Manohar told the agitating MLAs and asked them to resume their seats.

"I have assured you that adequate time will be given to everyone to participate in the debate. If we waste House's time like this, it will serve no purpose. Make use of the given opportunity," the Speaker added.

Telling the legislators that they "must go back" to their seats, Manohar reminded them that they had even given up the Question Hour to enable debate on the draft Bill.

Amidst the slogan-shouting, the Speaker rejected the adjournment motions moved by TDP and YSRC on the state bifurcation issue and by CPI on the Palem bus mishap in which 44 persons were charred to death.

As the agitating members showed no mood to let the House run, the Speaker adjourned it for an hour.